BCS Aftermath

Fat band girl’s tears sustain me.

Buckeyes Lose Again, Receive BCS Ban

Growing up, we all remember how the Buffalo Bills in the NFL would always win the AFC Championship and then when they got to the Super Bowl, they would fold up like a beach chair.

And for the third straight season the Ohio State Buckeyes are showing that they are slowly developing into the Buffalo Bills of college football, losing again on the big stage that is the BCS , this time a 24-21 loss to the Texas Longhorns in the Fiesta Bowl.

Of course, the Longhorns came into this week’s game as an 8-point favorite and had Heisman finalist Colt McCoy leading the offense, so this latest loss was supposed to happen.

But for the first time in the 3 losses, including the two in the Championship Game where they were manhandled by quicker and stronger SEC teams like LSU and Florida — which if I stand correct run the spread offense — the Buckeyes had a chance to win this game against the Longhorns.

But as Texas scored a second touchdown to make it 17-6 in the third quarter, the hopes of Columbus turned into another long offseason as the Buckeyes lost their third straight Bowl game, the first time that’s happened since 1990-92 when John Cooper was at the helm.

Their loss to Texas drops the Buckeyes to 0-5 against top-10 opponents since beating #2 Michigan in November of 2006.

And to top it all off, the Buckeyes’ seniors, all 28 of them, missed an opportunity to record their 43rd win, which would have been the most in school history for a senior class.

While last night’s loss was a downer for the 2008 Big 10 Co-Champions, the Buckeye seniors can safely say that they went 4-0 against the Maize and Blue and according to the Columbus Dispatch, we are at day number 1,872 — which is equivalent to five years, two months — since Michigan defeated the Buckeyes in football.

What Is The Damn Problem?

In the 91 years prior to 2003, the football program at the University of Memphis had only three Bowl appearances, the last coming in 1971 when Fred Pancoast led the Missouri Valley Conference-champion Tigers to the Pasadena Bowl.

Thirty-two years later, Tommy West and legendary running back DeAngelo Williams, now with the Carolina Panthers, led the Tigers to the New Orleans Bowl where they would beat North Texas and begin a stretch of five Bowl games in six seasons, being one of only a handful of schools to do that.

While for the fact this would be a huge accomplishment for a once moribund program, it hasn’t been the case for the Tigers, who has seen attendance drop to 25,000 fans per game, a far cry from the 41,000 average that came to the Liberty Bowl in 2004 to see DeAngelo Williams and company.

And now the question that one would pose to the uninformed observer would be this: what is the damn problem with the Tiger football program?

OK, I know two reasons of the problems with the Tiger football program, the first one being that Memphis is a basketball school first and foremost and will always be that way.

But that’s no valid excuse because in recent years, basketball powerhouses like Louisville, which as we all know was a member of Conference USA and decided to pump money and energy into their football program by building new facilities including a brand-new, on-campus stadium to replace aging Cardinal Stadium in 1998.

For that reason, the Cardinals are in the Big East and the Tigers are still toiling in Conference USA.

In the last eight years, the Tigers have spent a grand total of $6 million on football-related improvements and are finishing a fund raising campaign worth $3 million to build a new state-of-the-art weight room at the Murphy Athletic Complex.

That’s probably a third of Nick Saban’s salary at Alabama.

Another valid point is the fact that, instead of watching the Tigers, fans would rather head to Oxford, Starkville, or Knoxville to watch quality football, and from a person who has a bunch of friends that cheer for Ole Miss, Mississippi State, or Tennessee, that’s a justifiable reason.

They have a great tailgating atmosphere, meaning the tailgate area is close to the stadium and not miles away and they have tradition in their programs as well.

Memphis doesn’t.

Then you have to throw in the fact that Memphis, unlike those three schools, schedule non-conference foes like McNeese State, Nicholls State, and neighborhood rival Arkansas State on a regular basis.

Tennessee this year went to UCLA, Mississippi State went up against Georgia Tech and West Virginia this season, and Ole Miss last season played Missouri on the road.

People, from what I’ve learned in Sport and Event Planning class, aren’t going to be amped for a game against Nicholls State or Arkansas State.

They’re not going to return if the atmosphere around the stadium sucks balls.

And finally, no one is going to return if the team isn’t winning (see the Grizzlies for proof).

So what needs to be done?

You tell me.

Let’s Get Ready To Rumble

Ladies and gentleman, let’s get ready to rumble as tonight, at the Georgia Dome, the Alabama Crimson Tide will face the Florida Gators in the under card match leading to the National Championship game.

These two teams, coached by men who have won National Championships before — Saban at LSU in 2003-04, the first for the Bayou Bengals in 46 years and Meyer, who just did it in 2006-07 by beating the Ohio State Buckeyes and forcing Jim Tressel to take self-esteem classes in the offseason.

Of course, Tressel didn’t learn his lesson when LSU beat another tattoo on him in the National Championship last year, making the Buckeyes the first team to lose back-t0-back BCS Championship games.

But that’s another story.

The SEC Championship Game is, according to your drunk uncle or Rece Davis, one of the premier games in the race to see who will head to Miami and play for the National Championship.

And while Oklahoma, who made it to the Big 12 Championship Game because of some crazy 3-way tie with Texas Tech and Texas, are heavily favored in their showdown with Missouri in San Antonio, the SEC Championship Game is without question, the true deciding factor before we all see who will be popping bottles on South Beach.

Alabama’s journey to Atlanta, for the most part, has been focused more on their blue-collar defense. Ranked 2nd in the country against the run by allowing only a paltry 73.6 yards and 2.7 yards per carry, the Tide could put a dent into the running attack of the Gators, which consist of Percy Harvin, Tim Tebow, and Chris Rainey.

Not only that, the Tide has two workmen on the offensive  side of the ball, Andre Smith and Terrence Cody, who have given John Parker Wilson plenty of protection.

Speaking of Wilson, the senior quarterback hasn’t done much of anything throwing the football. Where as Tebow has electrified Gator fans with his feet and arm, Wilson has only thrown for 200 or more yards in four games this season.

Want to know how many touchdown passes Wilson’s thrown?

Nine.

Mainly because Alabama relies on the running attack, which finished second behind Florida in the SEC with a little over 200 rushing per game.

At Florida, however, the offense lives and dies with Tebow, wide receiver Percy Harvin, and running back Chris Rainey, all of who have rushed for more than 500 yards this season.

And for the most part, Tebow has thrown the ball more, with over 2,000 yards passing and 25 touchdown passes to go along with the 507 yards he has rushing.

Pretty different from Wilson, don’t you think?

And while the whole world waits to see what will become of the BCS, including all of us here at The Nasty Boys, we would like to extend a big thank you to the SEC-related blogs that link with us throughout the college football season.

May your team’s Christmas season be merry and bright.

That is, if your coach doesn’t get fired.

Vanderbilt Just Saved Our Ass

In a Saturday that the Football Wildcats had (mercifully) the week off, its previous and its upcoming opponents were duking it out at the creatively named Vanderbilt Stadium. The Filthy Volunteers from the University of Tennessee won convincingly 20-10 behind an apparently impressive second quarter in which they scored all of their 20 points. Offensively UT was running roughshod over the Commodores, compiling 243 rush yards in the contest; but the passing game was hilariously bad, only attempting nine passes and completing just four. With TWO picks! When your QB’s are that bad, I’ll give you the two completions for the picks because technically, they were completed passes. So the Volunteer quarterbacks (they played two) combined for a QB rating of 30.55 (with 6 for 9 passing in sarcastic asshole statland), sickly numbers for a high D-1 program.

The defense was king as they spent the day stonewalling the ‘Dores, allowing only 23 yards on defense on 28 rushes. 28 rushes! That equals up to less than one yard per rush. I would rip on Bobby Johnson for being one dimensional and not opening up the playbook, but the Steamboat Captains also attempted 43 passes, one of which was completed for a touchdown. A Tennessee touchdown. So it was pretty clear that today the ‘Vols established the run game and did not let go of the ball. It was a nauseating game to watch, but that was because of the day-glo orange that was tainting my television screen.

So how does that help us, the Wildcat nation? In the 16 years of Phillip Fulmer’s career, he has never NOT won more than two games in the SEC. His program’s decline has been a pleasure to witness, but let us not forget, he is a coach with seven SEC east titles and a National Championship. He would not just lie down and get thrashed in his last season and go out as ignominiously as only having one win in conference play. But I digress, it really doesn’t matter what that tub of Krispy Kreme’s reputation looks like when he leaves. But it does matter for the players. The Volunteers were mired in a 3-game losing streak and underneath a shadow from the cloud of Fulmer’s impending resignation and a very sour fan base. I have maintained since Nov. 3rd that his announcement that early in the season would provide inspiration and stir up pride for his team, and make the last game of the season against Kentucky a triumphant exit for the coach. Rockne would have be proud. Then the Volunteers showed how much they were willing to fight for their coach with a 7-13 loss to Wyoming at home. Yet they rallied against Vanderbilt today and got their second conference win, and with that we can only hope that they will be content with the domination of the state of Tennessee, and proceed to lay down against us.

I have been a fan of UK football since the Curry era, and in my entire life the Cats have not eaten Tennessee in football, 23 years. There have been many, many chances in that time, most notably in the last few years. But it has always resulted in a loss. 23 years. Imagine everything that has happened since November of 1984, but the one thing that hasn’t happened is UK beating UT in football. And GOD I hate Tennessee. For just a sampling of the list of reasons, my friend from the University of Alabama will take over:

So rest up boys, you have a coach to disgrace and a streak to kill.

SEC Rankings – The Return

After returning home from the Big Easy on November 14th and witnessing history on the following day, I’m back again to present you the SEC Rankings for the week of November 16th.

1. Alabama (Auburn is looking to make a case on Thanksgiving Saturday to make a Bowl and seven in a row against the Tide. Problem is, this Tide squad is pretty damn good.)

2. Florida (Another SEC East title and a chance to head to the BCS when the SEC Championship Game takes place on December 6th. Florida has a cupcake and a team fighting for position in the ACC remaining on their schedule.)

3. LSU (Last year I asked Crichton graduate Grace Walker for grace when Mizzou played the Kansas Gayhawks Thanksgiving Saturday. Apparently that same grace Grace Walker brought that Saturday in Kansas City came to Baton Rouge when LSU made their historic comeback against Troy.)

4. Georgia (Narrow win against Auburn puts Dawgs in position for a chance to head to the Chik-Fil-A Bowl. Chances are, if they lose to Georgia Tech, then the Liberty Bowl will come calling. But I disgress.)

5. Ole Miss (Houston Nutt has done more with Coach O’s players than Coach O did with Coach O’s players)

6. Vanderbilt (A 26-year wait has ended in the West End. A win over Tennessee would make the 2008 Vanderbilt football season even sweeter.)

7. South Carolina (A woodshed beating was not a way to welcome Steve Spurrier back to Gainesville.)

8. Kentucky (It’s OK, UK fans, at least you guys are going to a Bowl game just like Vanderbilt.)

9. Auburn (Iron Bowl game should be a motivating factor with the Plainsmen. I mean, it’s against the #1 team in the country.)

10. Arkansas (Sense of urgency is needed for Hogs if they want to go to a Bowl game. They can start with a victory over Mississippi State.)

11. Tennessee (This week Crichton SGA President Mequitta Williams took a tour of the Knoxville campus with the Grim Reaper. Apparently, the Grim Reaper killed the Vols’ season long before they got there.)

12. Mississippi State (Didn’t this team go to a Bowl last year?)

My time’s up. Don’t forget, you can read more of my musings at my personal blog, “The Kid In The Press Box” at http://thepressboxkid.wordpress.com

Comparing Teams By The Numbers

Below is a side-by-side comparison of two current anonymous college football powerhouses that have a legitimate shot at, if not inside track to, the BCS National Championship game. I use the term “anonymous” loosely because if you really sit and think about how the numbers are laid out, you can figure out the two teams fairly quickly and that my lead to a personal bias. So don’t do that. Take an objective look at these numbers for victories only and realize how impressive both sides really are.

Weekly Margins Of Victory	Team A	Team B
1	25	46
2	16	23
3	36
4	42	24
5
6	30	31
7	6	30
8	18
9	42	58
10	6	39
11	36	28
Total Games	10	8
Total Points For/Against	479-232	355-76
Average Scores	47.900-23.200	44.375-9.500
Average Margin	24.7	34.875
# Of Ranked Opponents	3	2

Bold margins denotes games against ranked opponents.

The majority of each teams’ column is comprised of that week’s margin of victory as opposed to score just to mask the games some and to look at games in a more basic fashion. Team B is scoring nearly as much per game as is Team A — and against a similar number of ranked opponents — while allowing far fewer points on defense. Of course Team A has been more consistently good accounting for 10 games versus Team B’s 8.

Which is the better team between Team A and Team B? You decide. Is either team the best team in the Nation? Who knows. And will these two teams play in the BCS National Championship? Only time will tell.

Two things that are for certain, however, is that both teams are playing some of the best — if not THE best — football in the country right now and a lot has to happen before any of the above questions can be answered. But by that time, answering the above questions will be that much easier.

Either way, the comparisons are remarkable. College football at its best.

P.S. If you haven’t already figured it out yet, Team A is Texas Tech and Team B is Florida…but don’t tell anyone, it will be our little secret…

SEC Rankings – Election Week

After electing our first African-American president in Barack Obama and surviving an assassination attempt, I’m here once again to present to you the SEC Power Rankings for the week of November 2nd.

1. Alabama (Don’t expect these guys to fall off the top anytime soon. Of course, there’s a chance that LSU could beat the Tide in Baton Rouge as part of Nick Saban’s return to Death Valley.)

2. Florida (Looks to be a clear road for the Gators in quest for the SEC East crown. But Vanderbilt always seems to play the Gators close and could, if the football gods allow it, beat the Gators for the first time since 1988.)

3. South Carolina (Let it be shown that the Gamecocks got Fulmer fired, whether  or not you agree with the way it was done.)

4. Kentucky (Three straight bowl games, something that hasn’t happened in a long time, has the folks in Lexington beaming with glee.)

5. LSU (Your former coach is coming, men. How will you respond?)

6. Georgia (Blowout loss hurt Dawgs’ chances at SEC East crown.)

7. Ole Miss (Nutt is doing a great job turning the fortunes of the Rebel football program around.)

8. Vanderbilt (Bye week was needed for ‘Dores.)

9. Auburn (Tigers can still reach .500 in the SEC West.)

10. Arkansas (They deserved to be ranked higher than Tennessee.)

11. Tennessee (Remaining games are for pride, not for too much of anything else.)

12. Missississippi State (Basketball’s looking good these days in Starkville.)

My time’s up. You’ve been a great audience.

SEC Rankings – Week 9

So after another long week here in the Volunteer State, except here in West Tennessee where the University of Memphis beat a punch-less Southern Miss team and lost another quarterback, I am back to present to you the SEC Power Rankings for the week of October 26th.

1. Alabama (No sign of collapse in Tide Nation, but the LSU game is still looming for Saban’s boys.)

2. Florida (During the basketball season, Vanderbilt handed the Wildcats their worst SEC loss ever. Eight months later, the Gators put a similar stomping on Kentucky and is now trying to make their case for Atlanta on Saturday when they face Georgia in Jacksonville.)

3. Georgia (If those two girls in that picture had played for LSU last weekend, do you think Georgia would have gotten out of Death Valley alive? Judging from that picture, probably not.)

4. South Carolina (According to our friends at Gate21.com, who also run a SEC Power Ranking column, the Gamecocks are 5th heading into tomorrow’s game against Tennessee. With LSU losing like they did against Georgia and the possibility that the Gamecocks could play themselves into the SEC East race if they win against the Vols, 4th is a safe ranking for the time being.)

5. LSU (At least they have the Alabama game to look forward to.)

6. Kentucky (One more win and Matt’s boys will be Bowl-eligible. Thankfully, one of those wins could come this weekend when they face Mississippi State and those annoying-ass cowbells.)

7. Ole Miss (Where would this bunch be today if Coach “O” was roaming the sidelines?)

8. Vanderbilt (I wonder if my old friend Kasi can rub her belly for a sixth win for the ‘Dores. Heck, it worked in 2006.)

9. Auburn (The Tigers made a visit to my friends at the Interstate Blood Bank on North Cleveland Street to get some offensive help. Let’s see can they salvage the season with their new-found offense.)

10. Arkansas (We beat LSU last season because of you, Coach Nutt!!!! Now we get embarrassed because of Bobby P.)

11. Tennessee (This just in, Crichton SGA President Quitta Williams has been named head coach of the Volunteers. Only qualification is that her former neighbor is a former classmate of current Vol Ellix Wilson.)

12. Mississippi State (No comment, please.)

My time is up. If you’re in the Memphis area, come see me perform at Republic Coffee located at 2924 Walnut Grove Road in the Binghampton neighborhood every Tuesday night.

What Penn State Means To The Big 10

The game that occurred Saturday night between the two juggernauts of the Big 10 was football the way it was meant to be played…in the 1930’s. Even with 280+ (pfft!) yards of total offense from both sides the only trip the endzone was a 1 yard run by Penn State’s sophomore backup QB Pat Devlin with 6:25 left in the fourth quarter. But the victory was secured and Penn State’s national title hopes are alive. But what does this mean in the grand scheme of the national title hunt, and by proximity, the perception of the Big 10?

Both of the teams ranked ahead of Penn State (#1Texas, Big 12 & #2 Alabama, SEC) are facing tough weeks against ranked opponents and, beyond that, a conference championship if they can get there. The likelihood that one of them will lose over the course of that time is far greater than State, thus putting the Fighting Paterno’s in a position to slide into the National Championship game while having rested since November 22^nd. Aside from the extra prep time, it will give them more opportunities to scout the potential competition and will possibly give them the winning edge.

But who are we kidding? Every time a Big 10 team gets to the National Championship they get cut down like baby mice under a lawnmower. Not that I haven’t enjoyed seeing Ohio State get crushed the last two years (I enjoy it a little more when that happens, I think), but it is time the Big 10 sends another challenger forward to try to capture the crystal oblong. But do the Lions of Nittany have anything to offer that could improve their odds of bringing the ‘W’ home?

For the last several years, OSU has put forward a team of similar blueprint: talented but largely overrated quarterback with a huge arm, one solid receiver and one solid tailback, all cushioned by a generally effective defense. Then they get to the National Championship game against a team of NFL prospects who have cut their teeth on quality teams throughout conference play. You know how the rest of it goes (And how sweet it is!). But we can only hope in the mythical world where one of the top two teams lose late and Penn State holds out against the Michigan State Javon Ringers, that State can bring at least something resembling a game to the table. With three receivers in the neighborhood of 30 catches and a QB that is 3^rd on the team in rush attempts, you have to admit that the blueprint is very different and should pose more of a problem for defenses of either conference. Even a competitive game could prove to a national audience that the Big 10 can produce something besides the crap cake that it has made itself appear to be.

Mike Hamilton, Please End The Nightmare

Dear Mike Hamilton,

I am writing this letter as a disgruntled sports fan, foremost a Tennessean.

For 17 years, Coach Phil Fulmer has patrolled the sidelines at Neyland Stadium and whether you like him or not, has coached the Volunteers to two overall SEC Championships, five outright SEC East Division Championships, and most importantly, a National Championship in 1998.

He’s coached players like Peyton Manning, Peerless Price, Robert Meachem, Casey Clausen, Erik Ainge, Tee Martin, Gerald Riggs, Ellix Wilson (I went to grade school with him), Cedric Wilson, Al Wilson, Todd Helton, and countless others to bowl games as well as burgeoning NFL careers.

But in the high-stakes world of college football in 2008, I, along with the numerous friends I know that are Vol fans, believe that you, Mike Hamilton, as athletic director of the state’s flagship school can end this nightmare by getting rid of Fat Boy Fulmer.

Look at the facts. The Vols, in the ten years since that glorious season when it seemed as if they could do no wrong, has been stagnant in their success.

Since 1998, the Volunteers have gone to three SEC Championship Games and lost them all, most notably the 2001 SEC title game in which the Volunteers were heavily favored and lost to an upstart LSU team that was then coached by Nick Saban.

So in one night, Mr. Hamilton, the Vols went from BCS contenders to the 2002 Citrus Bowl, where they would beat Michigan 45-17.

Then you have the 2005 season in which the Vols would go from #3 to not being mentioned at all, capped by a loss to Vanderbilt — a team that, as I write this, is one win away from being bowl eligible this year — behind the arm of then quarterback Jay Cutler at Neyland Stadium.

It’s one thing to lose big to Alabama on the same night that your university honors the 1998 National Championship team, but on a crisp and clear November day three years ago how could your coach lose at home to a school that is more focused on producing scientists than football talent?

Answer that, Mr. Hamilton.

From what I understand, your former employer Clemson University, a school steeped in football tradition got rid of Tommy Bowden this season after going 17 years without an ACC Championship.

Certainly (and this comes from a guy who may or may not told Lloyd Carr that the game was passing him by on this same blog last football season) you can read this letter and do us Tennesseans all a big favor by ending what has been a nightmarish season in Knoxville and across the state.

From what my experts tell me, Dyersburg native Bradley Greer might be your best choice for head coach.

At least he knows how to motivate.

Yours for minimum wage and beer,

SGA Senator Doc Hancock

Bone To Pick

I have a bone to pick and I am going to talk about it right now.

You see, I have been in many debates regarding the best college football conference in America (I say it is the Big 12 right now, contrary to what many might guess when they think of me).  Now I need to note that I have been in these arguments against my own will because I am the type of guy that doesn’t give a shit.  I worry about Kentucky (and whatever is best for Kentucky) and that is about it.  I don’t have an opinion about much of anything else in life, especially the Big Ten conference (hell, I am not even a voter….*gasp*).

Regardless, there are people in my life who are Ohio State fans and thus they are Big Ten fans (aren’t there eleven teams in that conference?) who insist on debating with me on the best college football conference in America, the Big Ten or the SEC…(even though I don’t want to debate and I still say the Big 12 right now), as well as arguing the general shaft Ohio State apparently gets in the media, the rankings, etcetera.

The first argument I have heard is that with Beanie Wells, the Ohio State versus Southern California game would’ve been a whole different game (apparently one that wasn’t a blowout).  Well you know what, with last years offense, this year’s Kentucky defense would be undefeated.  Unfortunately Woodson and Company aren’t here anymore and that is just part of the game; a team has to adapt to what they do and don’t have.  Excuses are like assholes, everyone has got one but they all stink.

The second argument I have heard came two weeks ago when the new college football rankings came out and Texas Tech was ranked higher than an Ohio State team that had been recently embarrassed by USC this season…and LSU a year ago…and, oh yeah, Florida two years ago.  A certain friend of mine could not believe that Texas Tech was ranked higher than Ohio State.  Why did he/she feel this way?  Because he/she applied the same type of stereotype to Texas Tech (that they aren’t a historically good team) that most top 25 poll voters apply to their entire voting repertoire: if you were good 20 years ago, you’re good now and if you’re not a member of the college football elite, you don’t stand a chance.

Oh, by the way, Texas Tech beat #23 Kansas 63-21 today…

The third argument isn’t so much as an argument as it is just me ranting.  Watch this week’s Georgia versus LSU game and then watch this week’s Penn State versus Ohio State game and get a real grasp on the snooze fest that Big Ten football presents.  3-3 at Halftime?  Come. On.

To me, Ohio State fans are like the annoying WWE superstar who won’t admit defeat even when he loses a cage match to The Undertaker for the championship at WrestleMania.  They’re a “never-say-die” species no matter what the outcome is.  And yes, I agree, there is something to be said about perpetual support but there is also a fine line between what is realistic and what is simply annoying as all hell.

It may just be me but I have a strong desire for humility in all aspects of life and it often seems to me that Ohio State fans (and many other teams’ fans — I am looking at you, Kentucky basketball fanatics) not only lack the modesty that is required to be successful in college football but they also expect to be represented highly by the rankings, regardless of what happens on the field.

I realize that I am more pessimistic about my teams than most people are; however, what can you expect from a guy who has dealt with the futility of Kentucky football and the Cincinnati Reds as well as the obsurdity of the Cincinnati Bengals?

All that it takes to be a tolerable fan is to have some self-awareness about your team as well as legitimate expectations regarding results, rankings, and the media.

Except for the Bengals, they don’t deserve the time of day.

Someone Forgot To Tell Kentucky They Had A Game Today

Discuss this article now over at ACC vs. SEC!: Someone Forgot To Tell Kentucky They Had A Game Today

The last time the University of Kentucky Wildcats were ran out of a football stadium it was a 49-0 loss on the road to LSU during the 2006 season.  At that moment the Cats were 3-4 and at an impasse, if you will, on the season, forced to dig deep in order to recover.  The rest, as they say, is history.

Kentucky decided to finish strong, going 5-1 in their remaining six gamest including a victory over Clemson in the Music City Bowl, the Wildcats’ first Bowl game in seven years (at the time) and first Bowl victory since 1984.

Fast forward to 2008.  After an electrifying, albeit very late, 13 point comeback in the final five minutes of last week’s game against Arkansas, the Cats looked poised to turn their season around with quarterback Mike Hartline’s new found confidence — he did, after all, earn an ESPN helmet sticker for his two touchdown passes in the final four minutes against the Razorbacks.

Today, Kentucky took their 5-2 squad and 7th ranked scoring defense in to The Swamp to take on the mighty Florida Gators team that hung 51 points on the road against the same school that last dismantled my Wildcats.  The problem is someone forgot to tell Kentucky they had a game today.

Florida scored 28 points in the first 12 minutes of the game — including two one-play touchdown drives on the heels of back-to-back blocked punts of Kentucky’s Tim Masthay.  Trust me, it didn’t get any prettier after that.  Add another blocked kick in the form of a Lones Seiber field goal attempt to go along with a Mike Hartline interception returned for a touchdown to start the Second Half and you have yourself the ingredients for a world class blowout.

Throw in some other random plays that were probably poorly defended (sorry for the lack of detail but I just couldn’t bear to watch) and you have a final score of 63-5 with a special thanks going to Florida punter Chas Henry for the botched punt that nearly doubled our score with a safety late in the 4th Quarter.  We needed all the help we could get.

After today’s embarrassing loss — coming two years to the month after the aforementioned spanking at the hands of LSU — many fans may be asking: where do we go from here?

Contrary to what some my expect, I am going to leave the crucifying to another blogger and go out on a limb and say that rest assured, Kentucky can still go up;  the wheels haven’t fallen off just yet.  Coach Brooks still has this team in a much better position now than it was when he inherited it in 2003 and anyone who disagrees can look directly at the recruiting classes between 2002 and 2009 (not to mention those two Music City Bowl victories he has lying around).

According to Scout.com, the 2002 recruiting class for the University of Kentucky contained 1 4-star, 1 3-star, and 17 1-star recruits.  In contrast, Brooks’ current class of 2009 high school graduates is comprised of 1 5-star, 1 4-star, 11 3-stars, 5 2-stars recruits, and only 1 1-star recruit, good enough for the 23rd best recruiting class in the Nation.

Unfortunately some reading this will say that the 2009 class cannot help us now and they’d be 100% correct.  But this blogger is not giving up on what the Wildcats still have on the field this year, understanding that there is a lot of talent that is no longer on the field thanks to injuries — most notably ones of the season-ending variety to super play makers Dicky Lyons, Jr. and Derrick Locke.

Kentucky is just a mere win away from being Bowl eligible for the third straight year and if the Wildcats can manage to squeak in to post-season play this season, it will be the first time since the Paul “Bear” Bryant era of the 1950s that this team has gone to three straight Bowl games, adding to the history the Rich Brooks-led Wildcats have already made.

At the end of the day Big Blue Nation never expected to beat Florida today, let alone win the National Championship this year, but what fans of Kentucky did expect is another Bowl appearance and another Bowl victory and both are still well within reach and that is what is most important, especially for recruiting.

Nevermind today’s loss; what is done is done and fans need to quickly move on because a loss by 58 and a loss by less than 8 are both still losses.  As embarrassed as I am by today’s performance, as many Big Blue fans are, we must implore the team to press on and come home from Starkville with a victory next week, setting the table for a three game stretch that includes Georgia and Tennessee with (hopefully) Bowl eligibility already in hand.

Despite the fact that the first exhibition basketball game is just 12 days from today, I urge the Wildcat faithful to not look towards basketball season too quickly.  Granted someone forgot to tell Kentucky they had a game today but I am confident that it won’t happen again.

Not, at least, with what is on the line for the Cats over the next four games: making history.

SEC Rankings – Birthday Week

After two weeks away from the rankings due to a death in the family and with the season once again starting up in North Highland Park, I am back to present — with the help of new Lara Croft model Alison Carroll — the SEC power rankings for the week of October 19th.

1. Alabama (Relax, the Tide has learned their lessons from last year’s free-fall. Time to take care of business against the Vols.)

2. Florida (After thrashing LSU on October 11th, the Gators have Matt’s Wildcats heading to the Swamp. Of course this would mean another outstanding performance by Tebow.)

3. LSU (Apparently, the grace of Grace Walker saved the Bayou Bengals from losing to the Gamecocks. Not to mention a former Kentucky football player that is now a referee.)

4. Georgia (Tough road trip comes for Dawgs as they take on LSU in Death Valley.)

5. Vanderbilt (Still looking for that sixth win. It might come this Saturday.)

6. South Carolina (What team loses a game in which a referee makes a hit on your quarterback?)

7. Auburn (The Interstate Blood Bank on North Cleveland Street can help you with your anemic-ass offense.)

8. Ole Miss (Another valiant effort came up short against the Tide last Saturday. Now Coach Nutt heads back to Fayetteville for a “heartwarming” reunion.)

9. Kentucky (Can their defense stop the Gators and crush the Heisman hopes of Tim Tebow?)

10. Tennessee (For Vol fans who read this blog, the first basketball game is November 15th against Chattanooga.)

11. Arkansas (Men, your former coach is coming back to Fayetteville, what do you do?)

12. Mississippi State (For State fans who read this blog, the first basketball game is November 15th against Centenary.)

My time’s up. If you’re in the Memphis area, come see me perform every Tuesday night at Republic Coffee, 2924 Walnut Grove Road near the Central Library.